My buddy

Yep, this is my buddy! So thankful I have this little guy to hang out with everyday because I must admit - I still miss his brothers being home with us! I think Roe and I are still adjusting to Drew and Grayson being at school 5 days a week ....thank goodness they are only going to half day kindergarten!! (Although they are LOVING it!! And I am so grateful...) I hope to post some more soon, although I just realized when I downloaded my pictures from the past month...I haven't been taking very many of them! Yikes! I better set that camera out and capture some memories!!

First Day of School

Drew and Grayson started kindergarten today! They loved it...and Mommy did okay too. A few tears were shed (ok, a lot of tears), but letting go isn't easy. I am super excited for them and I know that they are going to have a great year! It just will take me a little while to get used to this new phase!

Look at those school boys! Brothers and best pals!!!!

Cool backpacks...

The boys with Pat. Pat is the secretary at school...and has been the boys' babysitter since they were babies. She is much more than a babysitter tho. She and her husband Tommy are like family to us and I am so thankful that she will be up at school with the boys!

Look at that cutie!

Another sweetheart!

This is shortly before I started to fall apart. I was doing great, but then while over at Drew's desk, I hear Grayson ask his teacher for help to write the "s" in his name "because it's really hard," he tells her. You should have heard his precious voice...and well, tears welled up in my eyes, just as they are now, because that's my little boy.

The tears flowed on and off during the day, but that's normal, right? I still can't believe these boys are old enough to go to school....seems like just yesterday......

Well, they DID have a great day, and you should have seen their smiles when I picked them up at the end of the day. The pictures below aren't the clearest, but I didn't want to get too close and miss the smile that I was seeing right then!!

I know Drew has his eyes closed in this one, but Grayson had his real smile in this one so I had to share it!

My school boys

Dear Drew and Grayson, You bring such joy to your mommy and daddy. We are both so thankful for you and for what big boys you have become. It was so fun to hear about your first day of school...about the playground slide, your friends, and to hear you at the dinner table saying "I says i,i,i as in indian" over and over again. This is gonna be a great adventure and we look forward to experiencing it with you! We thank God for you! And we thank Him for letting us get to be your parents! Have a great year in Kindergarten! We love you!

Summer

I cannot believe that summer is coming to an end. (Of course, I can only hope that the triple-digit heat will follow likewise!!) I have had such good intentions all summer long to post pictures and stories of so many of our fun times, but it has not happened that way. Because my two oldest boys start K.I.N.D.E.R.G.A.R.T.E.N. in two days, I need to get on the ball! So, here is our summer in pictures...and a few words from me, of course! I mean, if you know me, have you ever been around when I don't have much to say? Some of you only wish.... *Warning: There are A LOT of pictures in this post, so if you are short on time, you may want to come back later!

I will start off with a picture of precious Sidney! We keep this baby girl 4 days a week and she is such a cutie!! It is so fun to get to have a girl around the house - I sure want my boys learning how to treat a young lady! She loves the boys, gets so tickled by them, and they are crazy about her too! She started coming to play with us when she was 3 months old, and now look at this girl...almost 9 months! Where has the time gone? We love our Sidney girl!!

Swimming Lessons...

Swimming some more!

Messy Faces: snowcones

Andy's!

Candy necklaces! (Aunt Cari bought the kit and the boys made their own necklaces...and devoured them!)

Melting this momma's heart! Drew reading with Roe after breakfast. (I have this from a few different angles, but I was trying to keep my pics to a minimum!!) ;-) Whew, I love these boys!!

More reading...

Games!

Putting up with little brother!

This little guy just cracks me up! Isn't he so cute and funny? Brings a smile to my face. He loves to be outside!!

A little bowling...

...and a little putt putt! Grayson got a hole in one on this hole! (Two different times!!!)

Fun at the park!

Painting a picture outside! (They did this artwork with our neighbor, Taylor! Wish I would've gotten a pic of the kiddos!!)

Havin fun at Peyton's birthday celebration!

Making smoothies and other fun stuff in the Vita-Mix!

Eating buffalo hot dogs...soooooo yummy!!

Upwards T-ball time!!! - Go Royals!!

Sometimes you get the ball.... :-)

....and sometimes you don't. :-(

Baseball Game with lots of family! Go Rockhounds!!

Sisters!

Roe didn't love Juice the Moose!!

That looks yummy!

Another snowcone???

Uncle Myles stole his hat!!!

Fun times!

Silly guy!

A family picture

Roe and I with my childhood friend and his namesake - Roe

Nana and Pop came to visit!!

The zoo...

Drew and Grayson with Erin ( John's cousin who also came to visit us in Texas! FUN!)

The paddleboat

Making cookies with cousin Tayte

The boys!

Cousins!

And we almost didn't make it to the spray park this summer, but slipped in two visits in a week!!! Fun!!

Well, that's all folks!